Luke 6:27-36 teaches that followers of Jesus are to love their enemies, do good to people who harm them, and show the same mercy God shows to everyone. The application is not a set of rules to memorize but a way of responding to hostility, need and unfairness with generosity rather than retaliation. Jesus gives this teaching to his disciples as part of the Sermon on the Plain, shortly after choosing the twelve apostles.
27 “But I tell you who hear: love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, and pray for those who mistreat you. 29 To him who strikes you on the cheek, offer also the other; and from him who takes away your cloak, don’t withhold your coat also. 30 Give to everyone who asks you, and don’t ask him who takes away your goods to give them back again. 31 “As you would like people to do to you, do exactly so to them. 32 If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. 33 If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. 34 If you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to receive back as much. 35 But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing back; and your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High; for he is kind toward the unthankful and evil. 36 “Therefore be merciful, even as your Father is also merciful.
Luke 6:27-36 (WEB)
Luke 6:27-36 Summary
Jesus begins by calling his listeners to love their enemies and to respond to hatred, cursing and mistreatment with goodness and prayer. He then gives vivid examples: if someone strikes you, be ready to take another blow rather than returning violence, and if someone takes your coat, give your shirt as well. He tells his hearers to give to whoever asks and not to demand back what has been taken from them.
The passage then turns to the golden rule and contrasts ordinary reciprocity with the kind of love Jesus expects. Anyone can love people who love them or do favors to those who return them, but his followers are to lend and do good without expecting anything in return. The reward will be great, and their conduct will reflect the character of their Father, who is kind even to the ungrateful and wicked. The climax is the call to be merciful, just as God is merciful.
Context of Luke 6:27-36
Luke’s Gospel was written to a largely Gentile audience, and its author is traditionally identified as Luke, the companion of Paul. In this Gospel, the Sermon on the Plain parallels Matthew’s Sermon on the Mount but is delivered on level ground, and it opens with blessings and woes that set the reversal of fortunes at the center of the message. The verses just before this section pronounce woe on the rich, the full and the laughing, which prepares the hearers for a kingdom where ordinary values are overturned.
The verses that follow in Luke 6:37-38 continue the theme of mercy by calling for non-judgment, forgiveness and generous giving, and the teaching about blind guides in verse 39 warns against hypocrisy. Together these sections show that Jesus is describing a community whose life is shaped by God’s own mercy, not by the standards of the surrounding world.
Luke 6:27-36 Verse by Verse
Matthew 5:44
But I tell you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who mistreat you and persecute you…
(WEB)
This parallel saying in the Sermon on the Mount repeats Jesus’ command to love enemies and to pray for those who persecute. Reading it alongside Luke’s account shows how central this teaching was to his message across the Gospels.
Romans 12:20
Therefore “If your enemy is hungry, feed him. If he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in doing so, you will heap coals of fire on his head.”
(WEB)
Paul draws on Old Testament wisdom to describe the practical effects of showing kindness to an enemy when they are hungry or thirsty. The verse shows how acts of mercy can break the cycle of hostility and leave the outcome in God’s hands.
A Prayer Based on Luke 6:27-36
Father, you have shown me mercy when I did not deserve it, and you continue to be kind to people who ignore you or wrong you. I confess that my first instinct is to protect myself and to repay hurt with hurt. Teach me to bless those who speak against me, to pray honestly for those who have caused me pain, and to give freely without keeping a record of what I am owed. Make my life reflect your mercy, so that others may see your character in the way I treat them. Give me the strength to love when it costs me, and remind me that I am your child through Jesus. Amen.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does loving my enemies mean I must stay in an abusive situation?
Luke 6:27-36 addresses how disciples respond to personal wrongs and does not require anyone to remain in danger. Showing mercy can include setting firm boundaries, seeking safety and involving appropriate authorities, while still refusing to hold bitterness or desire harm for the abuser.
What is the difference between the golden rule here and the golden rule in Matthew?
Both passages state the same principle that you should treat others as you would wish to be treated. In Luke it appears in the context of enemies and generous lending, which gives it a particularly demanding application to people who have harmed you.
Why does Jesus say the reward will be great if we love our enemies?
The reward is connected to becoming children of the Most High and sharing in the character of God, who is kind to the ungrateful and evil. The passage presents this as a relationship with God rather than a wage earned by good works.
